Kate - College Student - PA

I came to know the Lord Jesus Christ when I was just five years old. I was raised in a Christian home and I am the youngest of four children.  My family was always active in our church and so I learned a lot about the Bible and what God wanted for my life in my early years.

As I grew older, however, I faced the same challenges that all teens must face. I attended a public high school and had only a few friends there that went to my church.  So the peer pressure and temptations made it difficult to always do what was right.  There were always parties and drinking and drugs if you chose to get involved with them. 

My parents had encouraged and helped me so much in my life, but in those teen years, I found myself not wanting to listen or agree with them.  I knew that they had been teens once, but back then, I reasoned, times were different. So I knew that they didn't understand or know what I needed to do.   I didn't always listen to them and I made some bad choices because of a spirit of rebellion. 

I knew right from wrong, of course, but the kids at school were doing it. So, even though I knew it was wrong, nobody was going to tell me not to do something. I rejected that authority in my life. I stopped having my devotions on a regular basis and I really didn't want to go to church. My desire for Christ was still there but my main concern was to be accepted and do what I wanted.

Then when I was sixteen, we had revival services at my church and God convicted me that my Christianity was a life style. It wasn't just something nice that I had that I could tell people about, but it was the way I lived.  My focus had to turn from what I wanted, to God 's plan and desire for my life.  I needed to live for Christ because of what He had done for me. He died for me so my life should now belong to Him. That really helped me to fight off the temptations and struggles I was going through in public high school.

I am thankful for the love of my parents and for friends who helped me in those times of struggle. I didn't make the many life-changing mistakes that I might have made without their love and help.  I know that the problem is still real today. Teens continue to carry the attitude of rebellion and rejection of authority.  My prayer is that they will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior and let Him control their lives.  He is the one authority that all troubled teens need to obey.

Are you fighting to reject the authority in your life, like Kate? Need a friend to help? Let's chat!